Name/Title
StereographEntry/Object ID
2023.055.3.0245Description
A black and white stereograph. Image is of a large herd of llamas in the middle of a village. Above the image "T255 (Star)" is printed, below the image "V21911T Llamas, S. American Cousins of the Camel, Resitng between Journeys, Cerro de pasco, Peru." is printed, to the left of the image "Keystone View Company Copyrighted. Underwood & Underwood, Inc. Manufacturers MADE IN U.S.A. Publishers" is printed, to the right of the image "Meadville, Pa., New York, N. Y., Chicago, Ill., London, England." is printed. On the reverse the following is printed:
V21911
LLAMAS, CERRO DE PASCO, PERU
Cerro de Pasco is built over a silver mine and there are hundreds of silver and copper mines in the mountains around it. It is situated about 14,000 feet above the sea in the bleakest part of the Andes, back of Lima, near the central western part of Peru. The town lies in a basin surrounded by barren rocks. Cerro de Pasco is thought to be the crater of an extinct volcano. Though the town is surrounded by great mineral wealth, it is, like most mining towns, very unattractive.
Almost all of the freight in this district is carried on llamas, these little pack animals of the Andes. The llama is one of the aristocrats among quadrupeds. Notice his appearance; he has a camel's hair, a sheep's body and the feet and legs of a deer. From the sole of his hoof to the top of his head he measures about three feet. The llama carries his burden with a proud air and when he sees anything new he pricks up his ears like a skye-terrier. He will carry only so much, his usual load being one hundred pounds. If the Indians put more on more he does not cry or groan as the camel does, but calmly kneels down and waits until the load is lightened.
Llamas are gentle when well treated. They seem fond of their Indian masters. The men are also fond of their llamas; they pet and talk to them as if they were human beings. When on a journey they always walk beside the beasts, stopping to let the animals graze from time to time. The Indian women spin the fleece of the llama into wool and weave it into cloth. It is rather coarse but serves to make the ponchos or blanket cloaks and rough dress worn by the average native.
Copyright by The Keystone View Company.Collection
Photograph Collection